Clarifications on “Fistula” common in women.
Fistula is a disease caused by an abnormal crossing that connects the bladder to the cervix of the uterus. It can also be the crossing of the cervix of the uterus and the large intestine. There are various causes but mostly result from a complicated pregnancy. This term “leaking” comes from the fact that the woman has continuous excretion because of the deviation of the fecal matter.
Agasaro.com had an interview with Dr Gedeon Mulumba Mukendi who told us that this is a very common disease in developing countries, whereby most women suffer from sexual violence, complicated child birth, lack of cleanliness and doctors or midwives who are not well trained. The entire mentioned above can be the source of damage in the pubic area which usually doesn’t withstand any external thing in it.
He said: “When a woman takes long during child birth, the baby’s big head keeps on fighting to get out. As a result, this woman is likely to suffer because as the baby’s head fights to get out, it is blocking the blood vessels from the bladder, and the uterus, it may even pierce the bladder.
Although the mother may have naturally given birth, these veins that have been damaged do not heal; they instead start rotting. This woman is ever wet because her urine is now passing through the uterus instead of the bladder. When this happens, she should consult a doctor as early as possible for the possibility of cure.”
Doctor Gedeon also mentioned that the big vessel also gets pierced and the space between the uterus and the bum splits; this results into the fecal matter to pass through the uterus.
Some of the consequences a woman faces because of Fistula.
When there is a delay in treating fistula, the women face a lot of consequences such as lack of menstrual periods, infertility, sexual activity is not possible because the area where the fecal matter passes through is as dry as paper and may tear once in contact. Fistula can cause cancer or other infections. The sick person is secluded by their neighbors or herself because of the constant bad smell on them. In the end this sick woman might even become crazy.
Dr Gedeon said that Fistula should be treated within the three months the woman has started suffering. It is very hard to treat the sick woman after this period because the only way of treatment is to change the organs, yet this is impossible. The only help this woman will get is psychiatric help in relation to the way she is being treated by the society she lives in.”
Although this disease is very hard to cure, doctors and midwives play a very big role in controlling this. There is an estimated time a woman should spend during labor. If the baby has not yet gotten out by that time, they are trained to use other ways to remove it. Sexually based violence should be discouraged. The people living in the same society as these women should not seclude them but instead take care of them and help in getting medication.
Jeanne d’Arc Mukamana